5 travel resolutions for the new year

L.A. Times travel editor Catherine Hamm talks about resolutions for your travel plans in 2012, such as doing business with people and services you know with a trusted reputation. If you are going to book a trip through a travel agent or website you don’t know, make sure to get a personal referral from a friend. (Image Credit: AP)

Credit cards

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Have your heart set on that trip to Belize? Start putting money away in a special vacation fund. Hamm said setting money aside is a better way to pay for your vacation, since paying off an expensive vacation gradually on your credit card can add up in interest. (Photo credit: AP)

Insure yourself

If you can’t afford to lose it, insure it. Buying travel insurance is the way to go for expensive vacations like cruises because it gives you some protection with your purchase, Hamm said. (AP Photo/Ben Margot, File)

Put your cash away

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The lure of the bargain

Even though that trip you booked is dirt cheap, you may find spending a little extra is worth the value it will bring to your travel experience. Hamm said consider that sometimes those little extras turn out to be a more comfortable flight or a killer ocean view from your hotel room. (Image Credit: AP)